1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to a vehicle meter display system and a method for controlling the vehicle meter display system. More specifically, the invention relates to a vehicle meter display system that appropriately displays vehicle information, including important information, and relates to a method for controlling the vehicle meter display system.
2. Description of the Related Art
A steering wheel for a vehicle, such as an automobile, includes a rim held by a driver, a boss connected to a steering shaft, and a plurality of spokes. The spokes connect the rim to the boss, and openings are formed between the spokes. A meter display unit that displays the vehicle information is provided at a position closer to the front of the vehicle than the steering wheel. The driver usually sees the vehicle information displayed on the meter display unit through the openings of the steering wheel.
Some meter display units include a liquid crystal display. The vehicle information displayed on the meter display unit includes a vehicle speed, an engine speed, a coolant temperature, and warning information issued to the driver. The warning information and the vehicle speed information are regarded as “important information” among all types of vehicle information. The warning information is necessary for the driver to avoid dangers such as a vehicle collision. The vehicle speed information is necessary for the driver to drive the vehicle in compliance with the traffic regulations. Therefore, the important information needs to be displayed in a manner such that the driver can always see it while driving.
The driver operates the steering wheel, that is, turns the steering wheel. When the steering angle, that is, the turning angle, of the steering wheel is increased, the spokes of the steering wheel may overlap the location at which the important information is displayed and therefore obstruct the driver's view of the important information. When the driver is driving through a highway interchange, the steering angle of the steering wheel is increased. When driving through the highway interchange, the driver needs to drive the vehicle while maintaining a large steering angle of the steering wheel for a relatively long time. In this case, if the spokes of the steering wheel overlap the location at which the important information is displayed and therefore obstruct the driver's view of the important information, the driver is unable to see the important information through the openings of the steering wheel.
Related art concerning a meter display unit that includes a liquid crystal display is described in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 4-15131 (JP-A-4-15131). According to JP-A-4-15131, the location of a meter displayed on the liquid crystal is adjusted in the vehicle-height direction based on the tilt angle of the steering wheel. However, the related art described in JP-A-415131 is not intended to make it easier for the driver to see the important information when the driver turns the steering wheel. Therefore, under the related art, there is a possibility that the driver is not able to see the important information displayed on the meter display unit. This is because when the steering angle of the steering wheel is increased, the spokes may overlap the location at which the important information is displayed and therefore obstruct the driver's view of the important information.